Force measuring device



July 20, 1943. A; DE RENTns FORCE MEASURING DEVICE l 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 8, 1941 INVENTOR Augusta De Eenta A. DEV REN-rus vFORCE MEASURING DEVICE July 2o,l `1943.

Fild Aug. a. 1941 mvENToR Augusta DE. Bentiia' BY VQ l Y/LAM ATTONEYS July 20, DE REN-rus y FORCE MEASURING DEVICE Filed Aug. a, 194; s sheets-snaai a |-NVENTOR Augu .atm E Rent ia ATTORNEYS Patented July 20, 1943 FORCE. MEASURING DEVICE Augusto De Rentiis, Prospect Park, Pa. Application August 8, 1941, Serial No. 405,960

3 Claims. (Cl. 265-62) (Granted under the act of March 3, 18873, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) The invention describedherein may be manu- `f actured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to an automatic-indicating scale, and more particularly to a pendulum type scale for indicating torque.

An object o-f this invention is to provide an indicating scale which is free from backlash and other sources of inaccuracies.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lforce measuring scale having means for absorbing shock loads to which the device mightbe subjected.

@A further object of the `invention is to provide anaccurate force measuring instrument which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, economical inupkeep, strong and dutable.

The specific nature of the inventionas well as. other objects and `advantages thereof will clearlyappearV fromv a description of a preferred `embodiment as shown in the accompanying ldrawings in which: i

Fig. l isv a front elevational View i Fig. 2 is a vertical .longitudinal sectional view Qn timeline- 2 2 of Fig. 1, i 1

Fig. 3 is a sectional View onthe line 3..-3 of Fie- 2 Showing, the general arrangement of parts,

,Figa is a perspectveview of, a support for the dial system,r e Y u Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal sectionalyiew fof the yoke member showing its attaching links `mounted thereon,

, Fig.f6 is a plan View with parts in section showing the mounting of one of the guide rollers for the connecting ro( i,'and` -Fig. '7 is a moment diagram illustrating the manner in which an unknown'force is measured. i Referring now to the drawings, a pulley I is journalled `on a shaft 2 which is Xed to-'the frame'3 of the device,V see Fig. 3. Rigidly attachedifto `the lowerperiphery of the pulley-I is a. threaded stem` 4 which sustains a pair of weights 5. Weights 5 are nutflike members which engage the threaded stem 4' and are; adjustable thereon in a Well-known mannerv whereby their distance from the periphery of pulley I may be of the scale,

The lower end of yoke 9 is secured toa flexible metallic band II which is wrapped about the lower periphery of a stepped pulley I8 and is attached thereto by fasteners I9, see Figs. 2 and 3. `Pulley I8 is supported` by 'a shaft 20 which is `journalled in theframe 3. A pair of `segmental counterweights'` 2| are :anchored .to fa metallic band 22 which is wrapped about the lower step of pulley I8 and secured thereto bythe aforementioned fasteners I9; The counterweights 2| apply a clockwise moment to pulley I8 and transmit a similar moment of force to pulley `I'. th`rough structed downward the connecting band Il, yoke 9, and band 1.

This so f counterbalances the counterclockwise moment applied to pulley `I by the Weights 5 that the weights are at rest adjacent the `stop `Ei. This maintains the stem 4 `at an angle with the vertical through the axis of shaft 2'; Stop prevents any possibility ofthe stem 4 swinging i to a vertical position. Anaperture 2| is pro'- vided in the base of `frame3 and permits unob-Y ymovement` of theV countervaried. The weights 5 normally rfst adjacent Hmeta-l-li-c band 23 is-attached to the stepped `pulley I by fasteners 2A and' has its opposite end secured-to a connecting rod 25, by a `coupling Y2li, see Figf. lConnecting rod 25 projects through `the casing 3 andslides V,through a pair of guide rollers 2.1. The external fforceor torque `to be measuredgis coupled to the connecting rod to the lower pulley I8 and is adapted to oscillate under a graduated dial 29 at the `frontof the.

frame 3 wheretorque readings may be observed. Dashpot II absorbs shock loads which the inf- Simmern; mightbe' subjecteejt and also enmiyoke 9 is' suspended from the free end of band 55 nates any whipping or riacklashv in the^ bands I and I'I in a manner which will be described in another part of the specification. 'Y

Shaft 2 is a hollow member secured to the back of frame 3 by a nut 30 which engages a threaded reduced portion 3| and draws an annular shoulder 32 against the frame. The inwardly projecting end 33 has tted thereon a pair of bearing races 34. The outer portions of the races 34 are fitted into a bore 35 in the pulley I. A spacer 36 having a pair of oppositely disposed ports 31 separates the two bearing races 34.` A bearing retainer 38 ls secured to the pulley I- by a fastener 39, and a nut 48 retains the pulley and bearing assembly on the shaft 2. communicates with a vertical bore 42 which is in alignment with the ports 31 in the spacer 36. A bore 43 in frame 3 communicates with the bore A bore 4I in shaft 2 l 4I in the shaft 2 and the two serve as a reservoir and oil feeder for the bearings 34. Bolt 44 seals the horizontal opening to the reservoir and closure 45 seals the top opening. A' dowel 46 prein a connecting plate orlink 41 which is integral with the yoke. An laccurate lit, is made at this point so that no play or lostmotion is present. Band I1 is similarly attached to the bottom of yoke 9 by a pin 48 which passes through apertures in the band and in connecting plate 49.

Plunger rod I2 is encompassed by a sleeve 50 which extends the greater part of the length of the rod and projects into the cylinder I6 of the'V dashpot II. The lower end of sleeve 58 is'held in contact with 'a concave plunger disk 5I by a coiled spring 52 which bears against the piston I4. [Disk I is separated from piston I4 and the distance therebetween may be varied by the adjusting nut 53 on the topcf the sleeve 50 which engages the threads on rod I2. Sleeve 50 slides 4'through a fiuidtight aperture 54 lin the cap 55 on l the dashpot.

Dashpot II is provided With a rearwardly extending bore 56 which opens into the bottom of cylinder I6. Bore 56 has an enlarged threaded portion 51 which receives a hollow threaded bolt 58 that fits into a hollow oil feeder 59. BoltsI 58' Vclamp the dashpot I I and the oil feeder 59'to the frame 3. A gasket 60 is preferably employed to prevent leakage. Oil feeder 59 has a vertical bore .6I which is sealed by a screwv6 2 and an oil. cap

63. Communicating passages 64 and r65l in the zhollow bolt 50 permit the flow of fluid from the oil feeder to the dashpot. By maintaining the fluid lever near the top of the oil feeder 59, proper iiuid level may be maintained inthe dashpot II. The shaft which supports the lower-pulley IBYis journaled in a pair of anti-friction bearings 60 which are held in cup-shaped bearing re-r tainers 6I. Oil cups 62 having lling ports 63 which receive closures 64 are secured tothe bearing retainers by bolts 65. Suitable gaskets (not shown) may be employed to seal the joints.

Pulley I8 is keyed or press fitted to shaft 26 and has stepped faces or drums 66 and 61. Bands II and 22 are attached to the smaller drum 66 by the previously mentioned fasteners I9 whereas band 23 is attached by fasteners 24 to the larger drum 61. Indicator 28 is secured by fasteners 68 to a flanged collar 69 which is fitted on a hub of the lower pulley I8. Headed capfscrews'16 (see Fig. 3) pass through enlarged aperturesH'in the 75Y collar 69 and permit a zero adjustment of the indlcator 28 whereupon it may be clamped to the hub of the pulley I8. The indicator 28 is statically balanced about its axis of rotation by a weighted tail 12.

Connecting rod 25 which is coupled to the band 23 at 26 rides in guide rollers 21. Rollers 21 are provided with anti-friction bearings (not shown) and are supported by standards 13 adjacent the aperture 14 in the frame 3 (see Fig. 6) A coupling 15 on the external end of the connecting rod 25 is employed to connect the scale to an external force to be measured.

' A pair" of spaced supports or brackets 16 are attached' to the frame 3 by suitable fasteners 11. The brackets 16 Yhave front ends 18 which are positoned adjacent the ends of theV observation slit 19 at the front portion of the frame 3, see Figs. 1,

s 2 and 4; Each bracket has agroove 80 which is conformed to receive anV end of a background plate 8| in a sliding fit. Grooves 83 in the front kends 18 ofthe brackets are adaptedtorceive the dial 29 and it is secured thereto by fasteners 84 which are placed in bores 85 Vin the ends 18, see Figs. 2 and 4. A Window 8 6 is inserted in grooves 81 in the bracket structure and is also held by a grooved support 88 attached to the front of the frame'3, see Figs. 1 and 2.

v It is to be noted that couplings which are made by means of fasteners are machined with extreme accuracy and are tightened so that backlash at these points is Yeliminated thereby assisting in producingY a precise instrument. v

The adjustment and operation of the device is as follows: WithV they scale exactly level the `weights 5 are rotated onv stem 4 until they hang just free ofthe stop 6. The counterclockwise moment exerted by weights 5 about the shaft 2 is counterbalanced by a clockwise moment-exerted by yoke 9, the dashpot system I I, counter- .weights 2l and their connecting bands 1, I1, and .22. The indicatorv 28 should coincide with Ythe Azero point on the dia1 29 as shown in Fig. V1

since equilibrium has been established.V A force appliedto connecting rod 25 will move it to the right and rotate pulley I8 clockwise. Counterweight 2I sinks into aperture 2|"and the move- Ament of the'p'ulley I IlY pulls band I1 downward ingly. greater distance from lthe vertical and the A resisting f. moment Vof forceA exerted by i those weights reaches a maximumwhen the. stem4 becomes'horizontal.k Thejmovement lof th` indicator- 28 is directly proportional to that of rod 25 and such movement'is transmitted to the Weights 5V without any backlash. Equilibrium is quickly estabushed and theiindiator 2s win designate on d iai 2s the Vmagnitude of the 'force appued to the connecting'erod 25. v

` Fig. 7'represents' a moment `diagramfor the device. The indicator gives a reading on the dialwhich is proportional to the'sine ofthe angle which vthe arm`1 makes with'a-Lvertical,drawn through'the axis of rotation ofthe weightsgWi.

This may be expressed mathematically as follows:

It is preferable that the weight w1 be disposed at an angle of at least 19 with the vertical drawn through its axis of rotation when the dial reads zero. This is accomplished by employing the counterweight wz. Below 18 the sine of that angle is less than .3 and the larger the angle utilized, the more accurate will be the machine especially when w11, r, and ci are purposely kept small to measure more delicate forces.

Dial 29 may be calibrated to indicate force,

weight, or torque. As shown in Fig. 1 this dial is graduated to read inch-pounds of torque.

The dashpot serves an important function inabsorbing shock loads which might be applied to the scale, thus preventing injury to the working mechanism. It also alids iin establishing! equilibrium by its damping action on indicator fluctuations when a force is applied to the connecting rod. When a force is applied toI the connecting rod the piston I4 is depressed in cylinder I6. Oil flows upward through the orioe I5 into the top of the cylinder. The rate of ow may be controlled b-y regulating the distance disk 5| is separated from piston I4 by turning the adjusting nut 53. The flow of dashpot oil is restricted as disk 5l approaches piston I4. By the well known principle of the fluid brake, the dashpot suppresses undesirable fluctuations in the moving system of the scale and prevents sudden peak loads from damaging the movable elements.

Since the bands 1, I1, and 23 constitute the only flexible members in the moving system, the dashpot eliminates any whipping or flapping of those members when a sudden or jerking load is applied to the connecting rod 25. This means the moving system acts as though it were one rigid member. The instant scale is thereby superior to those employing knife edges, links, gears, and unbalanced masses since inaccuracies due to backlash and inertia are effectively overcome.

Anti-friction bearings and means for providing adequate lubrication at all times causes friction in the moving parts of the scale to be a negligible factor in its operation and accuracy.

I claim:

1. In a force measuring device, a frame, a pulley concentrically mounted on a horizontal shaft on the frame, a weight eccentrically mounted on the pulley and swung upward against the force of gravity by a force rotating the pulley in clockwise direction, a flexible band secured at one end to said pulley and wrapped about its periphery, a two diameter pulley below the rst and similarly mounted in the frame, a second flexible band connected at one end to the smaller diameter part of the lower pulley and at the other to the rst mentioned band, a flexible band secured at one end to the larger diameter part of the lower pulley and at the other to a device the force of which is to be measured, a scale on the frame and an indicator secured tc the lower pulley for movement relative to the scale when the lower pulley is rotated.

2. In a force measuring device, a frame, a pulley concentrically mounted on a horizontal shaft in the frame, a weight eccentrically mounted on the pulley and swung upward against the force of gravity by a force rotating the pulley in clockwise direction, a `flexible band secured at one end to said pulley and wrapped about its periphery, and connected at its other end to a damping device, a two diameter pulley below the first and similarly mounted in the frame, a second-flexible band connected at one end to the smaller diam,- eter of the lower pulley and at the other to said damping device, a flexible band secured at one end to the larger diameter part of the lower pulley and at the other to a device the force of which is to be measured, a scale on the frame and an indicator secured to the lower pulley for movement relative to the scale to show the magnitude of the force.

3. In a force measuring device, a frame, a pulley concentrically mounted on a horizontal shaft in the frame, a weight eccentrically mounted on the pulley and swung upward against the force of gravity by a force rotating the pulley in clockwise direction a flexible band secured at one end 0f the pulley and wrapped about its periphery, and connected at its other end to a damping device, a two diameter pulley below the first and similarly mounted in the frame, a second flexible band connected intermediate its ends to the smaller diameter part of the lower pulley and wrapped completely around the periphery thereof, and at its upper end to the damping device, the lower end of said band after encircling the pulley being connected with a counterweight, a third eXible band connected at one end to the larger diameter part of the pulley and wrapped about its periphery, and having its other end connected to a device the force of which is to be measured, a scale on the frame, and an indicator secured to the lower pulley for movement relative to the scale, when the lower pulley is rotated.

AUGUSTO DE REN'I'IIS. 

